Data loss

Data loss is an error condition in information systems in which information is destroyed by failures (like failed spindle motors or head crashes on hard drives) or neglect (like mishandling, careless handling or storage under unsuitable conditions) in storage, transmission, or processing.

[2] Studies show hardware failure and human error are the two most common causes of data loss, accounting for roughly three quarters of all incidents.

Similarly, using a journaling file system and RAID storage only protect against certain types of software and hardware failure.

Even with an effective backup strategy, restoring a system to the precise state it was in prior to the Data Loss Event is extremely difficult.

An effective backup strategy must also consider the cost of maintaining the ability to recover lost data for long periods of time.

A highly effective backup system would have duplicate copies of every file and program that were immediately accessible whenever a Data Loss Event was noticed.

Taking this into consideration, many backup strategies decrease the granularity of restorability as the time increases since the potential Data Loss Event.

This is because many operating systems create temporary files in order to boot, and these may overwrite areas of lost data — rendering it unrecoverable.

Re-attach this drive to a secondary computer with a write blocker device and then attempt to recover lost data.